


Nature Boy

by orphan_account



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Love Confession, M/M, My character is just there bc Snufkin needs help sometimes, Snufkin has a tail and paws, Song fic, because I said so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 18:11:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18970402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: And though we spoke of many things,Fools and Kings,This he said to me;"The greatest thing you'll ever learn,Is just to love, and be loved in return."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WOW TWO FICS IN THE SPAN OF TWO DAYS??
> 
> This was the result of me obsessively listening to the Moulin Rouge soundtrack and realizing that Nature Boy is a fuckin' Snufmin song. I would die for these soft oblivious gays.
> 
> The link to the song: https://youtu.be/ekCvBztYs_A

Company came few and far between over the winter, something that Snufkin had once appreciated. He loved to live off the land and not be bothered by any creature, no Hemulen or Fillyjonk or anybody telling him what to do. Or...he did, once.

A certain Moomin was stuck in his mind this winter. Mostly because he had written something very stupid in his farewell letter.

He had told his dear Moomintroll he loved him.

Snufkin wanted desperately to take that letter back, or to disappear entirely. But his feet infuriatingly and repeatedly brought him back to Moominhouse, only to see that the cursed letter was not in it's box, and that all the windows and doors were frozen shut, eliminating the possibility of searching for it. (Not really, but Snufkin did not want the Moomins to have to deal with a broken window over a stupid letter.)

And so, to get his mind off of that letter and the fluffy recipient, he did what no mumrik had ever done (save for maybe Joxter, as his father so loved attention) and willingly brought himself back to civilization for something that was not supplies or food.

He'd grown used to the company of those in Moominvalley, but the town he came across had no one he knew. That was his intention, sure, but judging by the odd mutterings and stares a good majority of them had heard of him. He squirmed at the thought of strangers knowing the green-clad vagabond gracing their streets. He wanted to disappear again.

But he forced himself to stay for at least a week, just to get himself used to people other than his friends. He sometimes paced the streets with harmonica in hand, and nodded appreciatively (albeit uncomfortably) at those who followed him when they clapped for him. He wasn't getting a distraction from this at all, he found about two days in. The attention only made him want to run back to Moomintroll and spend the rest of winter with him.

On the third day, Snufkin stayed at his campsite. He spun his harmonica idly between deft fingers, thinking once again of the coming spring. What would Moomintroll do? What would he himself do? Would they even mention the letter?

Absently, Snufkin brought the harmonica to his mouth and began to play, nothing in particular at first but then a melody he vaguely remembered his mother, father, and maybe Little My singing to him when he was just a kit. A somber, sweet song, with lyrics he couldn't quite remember off the top of his head.

He continued to play, gradually raising his volume once he had the right rhythm. He had the words almost to the surface, and...

A twig snapped.

The mumrik shot to his feet, glaring into the forest with his tail lashing and claws poised. "Get away, whoever you are."

Glowing green eyes appeared between the trees, slanted as if their owner was tilting it's head. Eventually, a melodious voice emitted from what Snufkin assumed to be the perpetrator. "They say he wandered very far, very far, over land and sea."

That was it! Immediately Snufkin relaxed (very stupidly considering he had no idea who it was, he later realized), slipping his harmonica into his pocket. "You know it?"

"Everyone here does," it responded, very matter-of-factedly. "Shall I continue, nature boy?"

"If you would come out here in the open, maybe." Nature boy. He hadn't heard that one before, oddly enough.

The creature obliged, stepping out into the light to allow Snufkin to see his unexpected company. It was definitely a full mumrik, it's entire face nearly covered with short silver fur, matching it's contentedly waving tail and disheveled hair. It wore a simple blue cloak, all four of it's soft grey paws exposed. It blinked at Snufkin, then stared down at where the harmonica rested.

Once the vagabond had gotten the hint and dug out the harmonica again, the stranger helped himself (he assumed the mumrik was male, anyway) to a seat on the log Snufkin had been sitting on before being startled. Snufkin played the verse over, and the other followed suit;

" _There was a boy,_  
_A very strange, enchanted boy._  
_They say he wandered very far, very far,_  
_Over land and sea._  
_A little shy, and sad of eye,_  
_But very wise was he."_

As Snufkin listened, he realized the lyrics were actually...very fitting. Perhaps that was why everyone seemed to know him without really knowing him.

" _And then one day,_  
_A magic day he passed my way._  
_And while we spoke of many things,_  
_Fools and kings,_  
_This he said to me;"_

He stopped playing now, the last line screaming itself into his mind. The other mumrik continued,

" _The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love..."_

" _And be loved in return_ ," Snufkin finished, taking a deep, shaky breath. He knew what he had to do now.

_I'm coming home early this year, Moomintroll._


	2. Chapter 2

Moomintroll couldn't sleep.

He had been sleeping, hibernating actually, but some nagging feeling made him wake up, groggy and hungry and oh, so confused. The midwinter chill seeped into him instantly, his winter coat doing nothing to keep him from shivering. The moomin laid there, staring blankly at the ceiling before remembering the letter. Snufkin's letter.

" _Dear Moomintroll,_

_I'm afraid I haven't been fully honest with you like I promised. I've been keeping a pretty big secret for almost the entire year, and I've decided to finally say it, just not directly._

_The truth is, I may be very much in love with you._ "

And that was when he couldn't fall back asleep. As if anyone could sleep after remembering a confession like that! The moomin felt his face heat, that one line sticking in his head. It was so unlike his friend, having the humility to admit that to someone. Perhaps he had gotten some sort of impulse? Or, Moomintroll thought with dread, he didn't intend to return.

That didn't seem like him either, but nonetheless the nagging feeling returned. His friend (boyfriend?) had a tendency to leave without notice, except for his winter travels. Logically, it would be very easy for him to simply move on from Moominvalley, but he had friends other than himself, right? It wasn't like he could ask anyone if they had gotten a similar goodbye, seeing that he was the only one out of hibernation.

No. Snufkin wouldn't have written... _that_ if he were to leave. At least, Moomintroll hoped he wouldn't.

_"I may be very much in love with you."_

He wasn't going to be able to sleep again, was he?

* * *

 

Moomintroll heard Snufkin everywhere. The wind was his laugh, animals were his harmonica and singing. Even the crunch of snow under his paws sounded decidedly Snufkin. The moomin debated against going to the bathhouse to talk with Too-Ticky, not wanting to accidentally set another creature loose. He wanted to focus on Snufkin, and Snufkin alone.

He wished the mumrik were here. He wished he hadn't left after his confession. It was no secret, after all, that Moomintroll was extremely fond of him. Did Snufkin think he wouldn't reciprocate his feelings?

The moomin was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed there were footsteps coming towards him, very quickly, until he heard a voice crying out to him, screaming his name.

A blur of green, brown, and yellow barreled into him, effectively knocking his breath out and burying him in the snow. Something clung to him tightly for a long moment, before whoever it was hastily pushed the slush away from his face allowing him to see. "Moomintroll! Oh goodness, I didn't mean to do it so hard..."

"Snufkin?," he said dumbly, blinking the spots from his vision and shivering. "What are...you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, let me help you out of this." The mumrik shot up, grabbing both of his paws and tugging him out of the hole his body had made.

Moomintroll blinked at him, shook his head, and blinked again. "Am I asleep?"

"I'd certainly hope not, in this cold." The smile Snufkin gave him told him this most certainly was not a dream. Snufkin was real, here in Moominvalley.

"What are you doing here?," he asked again.

"Oh, well...I had a bit of a revelation. Apologies for the, er...welcome. That wasn't very graceful, was it?" He took his paw again, tugging him towards Moominhouse as he laughed to himself.

"You're awfully cheerful, Snuf," Moomintroll commented, his eyes glued to their joined paws.

As if just realizing what he'd done, Snufkin looked back at him, his hold loosening just a bit, enough for the Moomin to worry if he was going to pull away. "Yes, I suppose I am." The mumrik paused. "I couldn't help but come back, you know. I was...nervous."

Moomintroll's heart leapt. "Nervous? What about?"

"I think you know what about." He did. "I wanted to take it back, so I kept coming back, to check if it was  there."

"But it...wasn't." He had retrieved it right before his hibernation.

"But it wasn't." Snufkin started walking again,this time not as quickly. "I didn't know how you'd react."

He felt Snufkin trying to release, but he squeezed his paw gently. "To be honest? I thought you only said it because you planned on leaving forever."

"What? No!" Snufkin squeezed back, hurt evident in his voice. "I could never...I said it because I couldn't _not_ say it."

The pair approached the front door, and Moomintroll took that as his cue to release him to open it up for them. To his surprise, though, Snufkin grabbed him again as soon as his paw left.

"Moomintroll, this place is my home. If you truly think I could abandon it, abandon you..," he trailed off for just a moment, then pulled the Moomin into a tight hug. "If you need the proof, I'll stop being an idiot and say it now, out loud. I love you, and I always have, always will, and could never, ever leave you forever."

Moomintroll couldn't help but smile, his eyes welling up. "Do you promise?"

"Yes! On my heart and soul and even that stupid letter!"

"Good...because I just so happen to be in love with you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin's dating tips: Worried about your crush not liking you back? Show up at his house in the middle of winter and straight up tackle him.


End file.
